Anji Khad Bridge in India
A 25-ton 21CM550 tower crane is working on the construction of Anji Khad Bridge, the first cable-stayed railway bridge in India, 331 metres above the river. This is an historic project for the Indian railway, and it´s viewed as an engineering wonder thanks to the difficulties involved in the construction process and the technology used.
This bridge forms a part of the prestigious Udhampur Srinagar Baramulla Rail Link Project (USBRL) connecting Katra and Reasi Station on the Jammu-Baramulla line. Initially, an arch bridge was planned but, in the end, an expert technical committee of the railway management board decided that the location was unsuitable for this kind of bridge and a cable-stayed bridge was chosen. This cable-stayed bridge has a single pylon, which reaches a height of 331 metres above the riverbed.
To respond to the demands of the project and the challenge involved in constructing the pylon at such a remote, complex site, HCC (Hindustan Construction Company) selected a 21CM550 tower crane, in the 2100 series, designed to ensure optimal performance in projects where particularly heavy loads must be moved, such as those in bridge construction.
Key points:
- The project requires extremely diverse loads to be hoisted, for which reason HCC needed a tower crane equipped with an automatic trolley change, such as those owned by Comansa. This system, along with the Power Lift system, allows variable loads to be dealt with efficiently while ensuring the crane achieves maximum efficiency.
- Thanks to its easy assembly and smaller space requirements, Comansa´s Flat-Top design has overcome the logistical challenges linked to the complicated topography in the area.
- The bridge is being built in a difficult terrain. Comansa cranes are equipped with a lightning protection system that has been designed to prevent damage to electronic devices. Furthermore, they´re designed to withstand wind pressure in accordance with European C25 standards.
- To fulfil the demanding project deadlines, the crane is operating between 18 and 20 hours per day. Furthermore, M/S Escorts Limited (Comansa´s local partner in India) ensures a trusted technical service is available and spare parts can be acquired as quickly as possible.
Opening date: December 2022
Construction company: Anji Khad Project and HCC Ltd (Hindustan Construction Company Ltd)
Client: Konkan Railway Corporation Limited, a public company in India.Key partner: M/S Escorts Limited
